Serious injuries often lead to paralysis for the victim. Many people do not completely understand what paralysis means. There are varying levels of paralysis, all based on what causes the paralysis and how severe the injury is. Victims of injuries that are caused by other people’s negligence should be able to recover compensation for what has happened. At Kurzban, Kurzban, Tetzeli, and Pratt, P.A. our Hawaii paralysis attorneys are ready to get to work on your behalf.
What causes paralysis?
There are various ways that a person can become paralyzed:
- Strokes
- Cerebral palsy
- Birth injuries
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
At Kurzban, Kurzban, Tetzeli, and Pratt, P.A. we commonly see devastating spinal cord injuries. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) says that there are around 288,000 people living with disabilities from spinal cord injuries in this country. The NSCISC says that these injuries happen due to:
- Vehicle accidents (38.3%)
- Falls (31.6%)
- Violence (13.8%)
- Sports and recreation incidents (8.2%)
- Medical or surgical mistakes (4.6%)
- Other (3.5%)
What are the types of paralysis?
The type of paralysis depends on the severity of the incident that caused it. There are four categories of paralysis:
- Monoplegia: This refers to paralysis of a single part of the body, usually just one limb. A monoplegia victim usually has full control of their other limbs. This type of paralysis is generally caused by strokes, brain injuries, and cerebral palsy.
- Hemiplegia: This type of paralysis usually affects the arm and leg of one side of a person’s body (“hemi” means half). This is not always a permanent paralysis, though the intensity varies greatly between victims.
- Paraplegia: This refers to paralysis below a person’s waist and is caused by spinal cord injuries that prevent the brain from sending signals to and from the affected area. This type of paralysis can also be caused by brain injuries, brain tumors, and infections.
- Quadriplegia: This is the most severe form of paralysis and affects a person from the neck down. This generally results in a person’s four limbs and torso being paralyzed. The severity of these injuries varies from person to person. Spinal cord injuries are the leading cause of quadriplegia.
Spinal cord injury costs vary based on the severity of the injury but can range from $359,000 to over $1.1 million for the first year of medical care and from $43,000 to $191,000 for each subsequent year.
We are ready to help you get through this
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured and are suffering from paralysis due to the negligence of another person, contact an attorney today. You may be entitled to significant compensation, and the team at Kurzban, Kurzban, Tetzeli, and Pratt, P.A. – recovery law center in Hawaii is ready to get to work on your behalf. This can include:
- Compensation for your medical bills
- Lost wages if you are unable to work
- Loss of future earning potential
- General household expenses
- Possible physical therapy expenses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Possible punitive damages against a negligent party
If you need a Hawaii paralysis attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 808-736-5035.